Islamic Scholars

Guest Author - Linda Heywood

Chapter 9, verse 122
When the believers mobilise, not all of them shall do so. A few from each group shall mobilise by devoting their time to studying the religion. Thus they can pass the knowledge on to the people when they return, that they may remain religiously informed.

Everyone is capable of studying the Quran without the aid of human teachers but God instructs some of us to devoting our time to studying the word of God and passing our knowledge on to others so that everyone can be informed. It is then up to everyone to verify what they are told.

Chapter 17, verse 36
You shall not accept any information, unless you verify it for yourself. I have given you the hearing, they eyesight and they brain, and you are responsible for using them.

There are scholars of Islam around the globe. From Africa to Arabia, Europe to Asia, the Americas and Scandinavia, people study the Quran. There are female scholars and male scholars as God does not discriminate between the sexes when it comes to gaining knowledge and wisdom from the Quran. At the beginning of verse 195 in chapter 3 God says,

“I never fail to reward any worker among you for any work you do be you male or female – you are equal to each other.”

Islamic sages are to be found in all walks of life. We do not need to ask permission of anyone to read and study the Quran. Anyone who can read can understand the word of God. We do not have to be descendant of the prophet Mohamed to be able to understand it either. God is tells us in the Quran that He made the Quran easy to learn and asks, “Does any of you wish to learn?” (54:17, 22, 32, 49).

For people who are unable to read and write, it is up to those of us who can to help them understand what God is saying without imposing our own interpretation. People should hear the words and make up their own minds as to what they think God is telling them. That is the mark of a good scholar, because in religion other people’s opinions do not count.

No two human beings think alike when it comes to faith and the belief in God. By studying the scriptures some of us are able to share our findings allowing others to participate in their chosen religion. It is not up to the scholars of Islam to impose their understanding of the Quran on anyone but to help others to hear and think about the word of God. Misunderstanding comes about when one group imposes its will on another.

Chapter 19, verse 73
When our revelations are recited to them clearly, those who disbelieve say to those who believe, “Which of us is more prosperous? Which of us is in the majority?”